Hair straightening and drying device



File d Jan. 17, '1946 MWD. //0/r INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 29, 1947 VUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIR STRAIGHTENING AND DRYING DEVICE l May D Howe, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application January 17, 1946, Serial No. 641,767

' 5 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to devices for straightening curled or waved hair and for drying straight hair.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned, of novel and improved construction, which is used to comb hair straight and dry, which hair initially is in waved and moistened condition.

Another object is to provide a hair straightening and drying device of the type described, which is simple in construction, easy to use, reasonably cheap to manufacture and efifective in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig, 1 is a front view of a device embodying the teachings of this invention, shown in open positionwherena. lock of hair may be inserted between the comb and a hair tensing member.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of only the comb and hair tensing members, shown in the relative positions said components assume when the device is in closed condition.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically the manner in which the device is used as a comb to straighten and dry the hair of a person.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the numeral I designates a tube having a tubular handle II at one end and a comb mounted at its other end, with the teeth of said comb extend,- ing laterally with respect to the longitudinal line of tube ID. If desired, said comb designated generally by the numeral I2, may be double-edged having the sets of teeth I4 and I5 respectively, extending in opposite directions. An electric heater coil I6, may be housed within the central body portion of the comb I2, suitably connected to an electric cord I'I extending through tube I0 and out from handle II. Said handle is preferably made of wood, Bakelite or other non-conductor of heat, and the comb I2 is of metal.

Normally in contact with one face of the comb I2, and preferably positioned transverse the set of teeth I4, is a rod member I8 which extends towards the handle I I. In like manner, in contact with the other face of comb I2, transverse the set of teeth I5, is a similar rod member I9. These rod members form the headed terminals of the respective bent bars 20 and 2|, pivotally mounted at 22 and 23 respectively on a collar 24 fixed to tube ID. The other ends of said bars are normally spaced from and in the region of the handle II, and carry the finger knobs 25 and 26 respectively. Suitable spring means 21 and 28 are included, mounted on collar 24 and respectively engaging the bars 20 and 2I, whereby the rod members I8 and I9 are maintained against, or in any event urged against the combs faces. The faces of the comb I2 are preferably convergent toward each of its toothed edges, whereby movement of the rod members I8 and I9 is halted upon reaching proper position against the respective faces of the comb. Such position may be between the tip and the base of the respective teeth.

When the device is not in use, the action of springs 21 and 28 maintain the bar'members against the respective faces of the comb I2 as in Fig. 2. When it is desired to operate the device, the coil I6 is heated by suitably connecting cord II to an electric current supply. The wavy hair to be treated having been wetted, knob 26 is finger pressed towards handle I I which is held in hand, thereby stressing spring 28, and whereby the bar member I9 will move away from comb I2, permitting the insertion of a tress 29, between said bar I9 and the teeth I5 of the comb. The device is then brought up towards the roots of the hairs of the bunch or tress 29, and upon release of knob 26, spring 28 will cause bar I9 to move towards comb I2, and the hairs of tress 29 will enter the set of teeth I5 and be pressed against the comb body by said bar member I9.

Now, upon moving the device downwardly as if combing, such movement will be smoothingly restrained by member I9 acting as a slight brake, the hair engaged will be tensed straight between their roots and the device, and the action of the heat from coil I6 will accomplish both straightening and drying of the hairs comprising tress 29. This downward movement of the device is continued until it leaves the end of said tress it is treating. Such particular tress is so treated several times until the desired amount of straightening is accomplished.

Heat having been drawn from the teeth I5, it is advisable that successive combings be done with opposite ends of the comb I2, and of course the required tension of the hairs engaged will be accomplished by the respective bar members I8 or I9, as the case may be. It is evident that the primary functions of said bar members are to tense the hairs and retard comb movement therealong. It is important that the surface of the bars I8 and I9 in contact with the hair should have no tendency to cause crimping.

This invention is capable of various forms and applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiment shown herein be deemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein, to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a body member having a comb component; the teeth of the comb extending laterally from said body member, a bar member moveably mounted on the body member and extending normally positioned against one face only of said comb across the teeth thereof, spring means interposed between said members, adapted to urge and maintain the bar member in said position and a finger piece carried by the bar member for manually moving said bar member away from the comb.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a, body member having a comb component; the teeth of the comb extending laterally from said body member, a bar member pivotally mounted on the body member on an axis substantially normal to the plane of the comb, and extending normally positioned against one face only of said comb, spring means interposed between said members, adapted to urge and maintain the bar in said position and a finger piece carried by the bar member for manually moving said bar member away from the comb; the face of the comb adjacent the bar member being in a plane intersecting the locus of movement of the bar member.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a body member having a doubleedged comb at one end and a handle at its other Number end; the respective sets of teeth of said comb extending laterally from said body member, a pair of bar members moveably mounted on the body member and extending normally positioned one against one face only of said comb and the other against the other face only of said comb, spring means interposed between the body and bar members respectively, adapted to urge and maintain said bar members in said positions respectively, and a pair of finger pieces, carried one on each of said bar members for manually moving the respective bar members away from the comb.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein each bar member in its normal position extends across a different set of teeth on opposite faces of said comb.

5. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein the bar members are pivotally mounted on the body member on axes substantially normal to the plane of the comb and wherein the surface of the comb adjacent one of the bar members is in a plane intersecting the locus of movement of such bar member and wherein the opposite surface of e the comb adjacent the other of said bar members is in a plane intersecting the locus of movement of said other of said bar members.

MAY D. HOWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,349,425 Howard et al Aug. 10, 1920 1,861,040 Williams May 31, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,583 British 1900 

